eaten polyanthus

[ness1301]

Does anyone know what is likely to have eaten the roots of my beautiful polyanthus that have been in tubs on the patio all winter. I noticed they were suddenly dying and saw that the roots have all been eaten off. :-(

[Ice.Maiden]

Same happened to me two years ago, ness1301. Someone said it might've been flies/creatures that'd hatched out in whatever the plants'd been growing in, but I never did find out.

[heathfield]

Could be vine weevil grubs.

[moggiebasil]

Most likely to be vine weevil grubs. They are small and white with a brown head

[thugulike]

Sounds like vine weevil. You will need to go through the soil very carefully and crush any white larva otherwise they will spread. Otherwise place all soil in a bag and dump somewhere safe. If you replant the weevils will eat the new plants.

[ness1301]

thanks... I have found a few small white grybs but didnt know what they were. How do you stop them?

[katerich48]

I had this with my Hydrangea that was growing in a big pot outside It was fine until I repotted it - so something must have been in the new soil ...I took the plant out and replaced all the old soil with new, mixed some blood and bone meal in and it seems to have worked.. Although parts of it seem to have died there are new green leaves coming through on most of it...